Botswana Mobile Safaris
Tailored Camping Safari Tours for 2027 & 2028
With so many diverse environments in Botswana, why not experience as much as possible and not only go further into the wilderness but have the privacy to make your Botswana safari as intimate as possible? Unlike most lodges and scheduled tours, with these tailored mobile safaris, you have the flexibility of timings, activities and meals. Every moment is planned in order to accommodate you, with pre-prepared camps set up before you even arrive. All chores are completed by the camp team including a cook, camp hand, and specialized guide with all equipment ready for you.
These Botswana mobile safari tours take you to the remote areas of Botswana's best wildlife areas, staying inside each of them with designated BOGA campgrounds, meaning that only Botswana mobile safari operators can access these, ensuring your stay is as intimate and private as possible.
Private Budget Safaris Throughout Botswana
Tailored safari itineraries with en-suite dome tents including a comfortable bedroll with linen on stretchers and a bedside table with a lantern. A private enclosure is attached at the back of the tent, featuring a shower and toilet. Towels and soap are provided.
En-Suite Dome Tents.
Private Comfort Safaris Throughout Botswana
Tailored safari itineraries with 3 m x 4 m classic Meru-style safari tents featuring comfortable beds with quality cotton linen and a covered front verandah with chairs and a table. An attached rear enclosure provides a private shower and toilet. Towels and soap are supplied.
En-Suite Meru Tents.
Luxury Mobile Camping Safaris
Meru tents with covered en-suite bathrooms, bedside tables, lamps, beds with high density mattresses, feather duvets, all linen provided along with a carpeted floor and wardrobe. Outdoor areas include a bush lounge with a fully stocked bar and tented dining room.
Luxury Tents With All the Comfort of a Lodge.
What is a Botswana mobile safari?
A Botswana mobile safari is a guided camping safari that moves with you. Instead of returning to one lodge each night, you travel between reserves, and a camp crew packs up, drives ahead and has camp ready when you arrive. Our routes spend two or three nights in each area.
Botswana is made for this style of safari. Its best wildlife areas, including Moremi, Khwai, Savuti and Chobe, are unfenced and have campsites inside the reserves. BOGA sites are used, named after the Botswana Guides Association. Only licensed tour operators can use them, and only one operator can book a site at a time. HATAB sites are sometimes also used. Lelobu Safaris is a member of HATAB, the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana.
BOGA sites are set away from the public campsites, so yours is usually the only camp in sight. No self-drive campers share your fire, and you hear the bush, not the neighbours. That's the main difference between a mobile safari and camping in Botswana on your own.
The biggest advantage is that you wake up already inside the reserve, ready for the first game drive of the day.
Mobile safari or lodge?
A mobile safari lets you see more of Botswana for less money. A lodge gives you one comfortable base. You don't have to choose: private safaris can mix both.
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Where you sleep: on a mobile safari, your own tent at a private campsite inside a reserve, away from the public campsites. At a lodge, a permanent room at one property.
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Your guide: on a mobile safari, the same guide and camp crew are with you from the first day to the last. At a lodge, each camp has its own guides and staff.
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How much you see: a mobile safari covers several areas, with two or three nights in each. A lodge usually means one area, and each move is a transfer.
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Comfort: an en-suite tent, cooked meals and a camp crew, from budget to luxury. A lodge gives you a permanent room with more facilities though.
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Price: a mobile safari usually costs less than staying in lodges in the same areas.
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Moving: your camp moves ahead of you while you game-drive to the next area. A lodge means fewer moves.
On a luxury mobile safari, the two nights while the camp moves are already spent in a lodge. For a fuller comparison of camping and lodges, see our FAQ.
Your guide and camp crew, from the first day to the last
On a mobile safari, the same guide stays with you for the whole trip. They're with you around the clock: they wake you in the morning, share every meal with you, and sit with you around the campfire at night, telling stories about the area, its wildlife and the history of Botswana. That's what makes a mobile safari such a personal experience.
Behind your guide is a small camp crew: typically a chef and one or two camp hands, depending on the size of your group. The same crew stays with you for the whole trip, moving camp ahead of you and running it while you're out on drives.
Your safari vehicle
Game drives are in an open-sided safari vehicle with typically 8 seats, 6 of them a window seat. On a private safari of up to six people, everyone gets a window seat. The make of vehicle varies by operator, but each has a roof for shade, a cooler box of drinks at the front, and usually a charging point at the front for phones and cameras.
Camp life and meals
Your camp is set up before you arrive. There's a campfire with chairs around it, and a dining table laid for meals. On a luxury safari, the camp adds a dining tent with a table and chairs, a tea and coffee station, a bar, and a lounge area with a small library.
Water for your shower is heated on the fire every day. The crew asks when you'd like to shower and has it ready for you.
Meals are cooked in camp, and menus change so every day brings something new. The day is built around three meals: an early breakfast before the morning drive, a light lunch before the afternoon drive, and dinner in the evening.
On our budget-level 8-night safari, for example, breakfast is tea, coffee, cereal and a cooked breakfast, lunch is breads, spreads and salads, and dinner is two courses.
The chefs are professionally trained to cook for vegan and vegetarian guests, so tell us about your diet when you book.
There's no laundry on a mobile safari. Water is limited, and the crew may need it for cooking, drinking and showers, so pack enough clothes for the whole trip.
Private or group mobile safari?
Choose a private safari if you want your own guide, vehicle and camp crew, your own dates and route, and the freedom to change the day's plan. Private safaris need at least three people, run all year, and welcome children of any age.
Choose a group safari for more budget alternatives, if you're travelling alone or even as a couple. Fully serviced group safaris leave on set days from May to September, take a maximum of 8 guests, and go ahead as soon as two travellers have booked. See our group safaris page.
On a tight budget? We also book semi-participation group safaris, where you help put up your own tent. Ask us about these.
A day on a mobile safari
Days follow the animals, so times shift with the season. This is a typical day in the dry season.
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5:30 – Wake-up call and an early breakfast before you head out.
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Morning – Game drive, often with a coffee break in the bush.
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Late morning – Back to camp for siesta through the hottest part of the day. Rest, shower or read in the shade. Wildlife sometimes passes through camp.
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Afternoon – A light lunch, then the afternoon game drive at around 15:00.
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Evening – Back to camp for dinner by the fire.
On a private safari, you and your guide can change the schedule to suit you.
Night drives and off-road driving. Botswana's national parks and game reserves follow government rules. You can only drive during set hours, and night drives as well as off-road driving are not possible. Community and private concessions like Khwai are different in this regard. Night drives are allowed there, and guides can go off-road with care.
Moving days
When it's time to move to the next area, you head out with your guide for a full day's game drive with a packed lunch. Meanwhile, a separate team takes down camp and sets it up again at the next site. By the time you arrive, everything is ready and dinner is already being prepared.
Your first Botswana safari: how long, and which route
For a first private safari in Botswana, we recommend our 8-night Maun to Kasane mobile safari. The route spends two nights each in the Okavango Delta, Moremi, Khwai and Savuti, so you see four very different areas in one trip. It also has the widest range of activities: a mokoro trip and a walk on the Delta's islands, a boat cruise from Xakanaxa in Moremi, a night drive in Khwai, and game drives throughout.
You also have the option to end things off with a lodge in Chobe, which adds game drives in Chobe National Park and boat cruises on the Chobe River. A little extra comfort at the end goes a long way before a long international flight home.
The most common mistake is trying to do too much in too little time. One night in an area isn't enough to really experience it. Botswana is a big country, its best-known areas are far apart, and each has a lot to offer. Racing around means more time transferring than enjoying the wilderness, and that's exhausting, especially when camping. Two to three nights in each area gives you a true feel for what a Botswana safari is all about.
Where Botswana mobile safaris go
Most mobile safaris start in Maun and follow the northern circuit through the Okavango, Moremi, Khwai, Savute, and Chobe. We recommend two or three nights in each area. Our set packages follow the northern routes, and a tailor-made private safari can include any of the areas below.
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Okavango Delta: water channels and islands, explored by mokoro and walking safaris.
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Moremi Game Reserve: lagoons, floodplains and woodland where the Delta meets dry land.
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Khwai Concession: the Khwai River and its floodplains, with night drives and some off-road driving allowed.
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Savuti (Chobe National Park): open grasslands and the Savuti Channel.
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Chobe Riverfront and Kasane: the Chobe River, with boat cruises. Victoria Falls is about 2.5 hours by road, depending on how busy the Kazungula border post is.
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Central Kalahari Game Reserve: open Kalahari desert and pans.
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Makgadikgadi Pans, Nxai Pan and Baines' Baobabs: salt pans and Baines' Baobabs.
Plan around the distances. Some of Botswana's wildlife areas are far apart, and it isn't possible to move between them in one day without a flight transfer. We plan each route around this, so you spend your time in the wilderness rather than on the road.
When to go on a mobile safari in Botswana
The best time for a Botswana mobile safari is the dry season, May to October. Water shrinks to the rivers and lagoons, the bush thins out, and animals are easier to find. Our scheduled group safaris run May to September for this reason. Private mobile safaris run all year.
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May–June: the dry season begins and the bush starts to thin. Floodwater from Angola is spreading into the Okavango Delta.
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July–August: peak season. The Delta flood is at its largest, up to about three times its dry-season size. Days are around 25°C and nights can drop below freezing, so pack warm layers. Book a private safari 6 to 12 months ahead.
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September–October: heat builds and the land is at its driest, so animals gather at the water. October is the hottest month, reaching about 40°C.
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November–April: green season. Rain falls mainly December to March, wettest in January and February. Expect green landscapes, newborn animals, migrant birds and lower prices. Heavy rain can make some tracks impassable.
What's included
Included: park, concession and community fees; activities; all meals in camp; drinks (depending on level); pickup and drop-off in central Maun.
Not included: international and regional flights, travel insurance, tips, and hotel nights before and after the safari. Our FAQ has tipping guidance.
Is a mobile safari right for you?
A mobile safari suits you if:
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You want to wake up inside the reserve and hear the bush at night.
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To feel more in touch with the surrounding nature of Botswana.
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You'd like to see several wildlife areas on one trip.
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You're a family. Children of any age are welcome on private safaris, and the day is planned around how your family feels. Many lodges in Botswana charge extra, or make you book a private vehicle, when children are under 12. A mobile safari is already private, so it often works out more affordable for families with several children or several generations travelling together. See our family safaris page.
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You're a photographer. On a private safari of up to six people, everyone gets a window seat.
Safety in an unfenced camp
Wild animals walk through camp, so your guide's safety briefing on day one matters. The camp rules, our guides' experience and the insurance you need are all in our FAQ. One extra we recommend for mobile safaris: Okavango Air Rescue, a Maun-based helicopter evacuation service. It's run locally, so help can reach a remote camp without waiting on an overseas insurer.
Nights in camp
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No food in your tent. If you bring snacks, keep them with the rest of the camp supplies.
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Bring a torch. You'll need it after dark.
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Use the bathroom before bed. It's en-suite, but it's easier to go before you settle in for the night.
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Expect night sounds. You'll often hear wildlife around camp at night. It's part of the adventure.
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Use insect repellent. Mosquitoes are the insect to watch for. Apply repellent regularly through the day, especially on your first safari.
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Keep your tent closed. Tents have built-in gauze, like a mosquito net. Close the tent straight behind you each time you go in or out to keep insects out. You're in the wild, and there can be a lot of bugs.
Getting to Botswana from the US, UK, Europe and Australia
From overseas, the usual route to Maun is through Johannesburg, with direct flights to Maun every day that take about two hours.
When to arrive depends on your flight times and where your safari goes first. Our 8-night Maun to Kasane safari meets you in central Maun at 3pm, so you can start the day you land. If your route begins with a long drive, for example to Moremi or Nxai Pan, it's nicer to rest in Maun overnight and set off the next day.
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Before you fly: visas, passports, children's documents, luggage limits and insurance are covered in our FAQ.
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Payment: prices are in US dollars. You can pay by bank transfer or secure card payment.
Written from experience
Our team has lived in Botswana and camped in each of its wildlife areas ourselves. We've seen almost every animal possible across the different areas.
From watching cheetah brothers work together to chase down an impala in Savuti, to a leopard pushing up against the vehicle in Khwai, like a cat rubbing against a couch, baby elephants playing together in the mud, hippos blocking the channel so we had to backtrack a mokoro excursion in the Ditshiping area. These are adventures and stories created not just from working in the safari industry, but from first-hand experiences with friends and family throughout the years.
Written by Joshua, Lelobu Safaris, Maun · Updated October 2026
From our Clients
Katerina Pavlu - May 2023
5/5 stars, perfect communication, reasonable price, super nice camp (showers, toilet, benches, grass... just wow), delicious food by Keny, helpful driver KG and friendly Kico. Thanks to Lelobu we enjoyed very nice and calm 2 nights in Okavango delta. Thanks to all
Russel Family - March 2023
We had an incredible time! It was all so wonderful. Your help with organizing and booking the trip made it all very easy. Fast and helpful responses!
When we arrived, Moss greeted us and introduced us to our guide, Joseph. She made sure we were all set to leave and that we didn't have any questions. From the moment we met Joseph until he dropped us off, he was extremely professional, caring, and just a joy to be around. He is extremely knowledgeable about the flora and fauna, in addition to conservation and ecology. As a scientist, I really enjoyed talking with him and learning about how Botswana was managing their wild spaces. He is very passionate about conservation and connecting with the locals in each area we visited. The cook, Morheedi (not sure how to spell it?), made amazing food, we were never hungry and always impressed with the meals! Our assistants were also wonderful and fun to talk with and get to know. We always felt comfortable and well taken care of. The tent and facilities were great, what an amazing way to experience the bush. The route and time in each area was great. We got to see a variety of habitats and animals within a relatively short period of time. In summary, I am incredibly happy we choose this safari! My Mom and I created amazing memories! We can't believe it's already over, and I can't wait to return. Thanks again Joshua!
